JPH0834502B2 - Terminal used in communication system and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a call establishment device in a communication system, and more particularly to a system for establishing a call, and more particularly for enabling visual observation and control of a call conference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Since the use of telephone devices is commonplace today, mentioning this use makes little sense. However, in reality most of the communication connections are between two parties, who communicate from a standard telephone. Also, the communication requirements of the public are becoming more sophisticated, and so is the terminal forming the endpoint of this communication connection.

Once upon a time, a telephone connected only one telephone line to this telephone. Therefore, a user who desires to use two telephone lines usually needs to have two telephones on the desk. Soon technological advances replaced the two phones with a single multi-line device, which reduced cluttered phones and increased flexibility in the use of the telephone network.

As smart terminals like personal computers are now appearing on many desks alongside phones, the same problems are beginning to be felt. A major challenge is to integrate these terminals into the user's communication pattern in a manner consistent with both the efficient use of computer power and the efficient use of telephony networks and the switching equipment that supports them. With such a combination of technical controls, a user can have communication services and previously unthinkable operating methods.

For example, many people who have the experience of establishing a conference connection between themselves and several individuals located at different remote terminals will often find that the actual party who joins the conference and how these Confused about how to establish a meeting. At present, at a minimum, the user must operate a series of buttons on a telephone or flash a switch hook in an accurate manner to complete a conference. There is always some confusion as to who was connected to this conference during the setup of such a conference. Confusion increases when people join or leave the meeting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventor uses the visual display of a smart terminal (such as a personal computer), and an image or icon (ic) representing the potential callee.
The above problem was solved by forming on) above the display under the control of the user. The icon may be, for example, a small phone image with the name or number of the user associated with it. Alternatively, the personal computer creates areas or boxes on the display that each represent a visible communication connection for the conference connection. These areas are called call appearances,
Then, in order to establish a communication connection, the user simply moves one or more icons into the desired call appearance box, and the personal computer translates the movement of this icon into a signal provided to the communication system. However, the communication system operates to complete a communication connection to the terminal (s) associated with the icon (s) moved from the user's terminal to the calling appearance box.

In one configuration, an icon is formed for a particular desired called party under user control, and
The unique identification of the other party is associated with the iconography.
Thus, the user can easily determine which party is connected to the conference by reading the identification associated with the icon in any call appearance box.

To remove the other party from the conference connection, the user moves the icon associated with the other party from the calling appearance box. Then, the personal computer sends an appropriate signal to the communication system to terminate the corresponding party from calling. The icon associated with the hang-up party is automatically moved from the calling appearance box by the personal computer, making it easier for the user to keep an eye on each party.

These and other objects and features of the present invention, as well as its operation and use, will become more apparent from the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

Detailed Description As shown in FIG. 1, the communication control device 10 includes a communication system such as the communication system 75 and a personal computer (PC 6300).
It is inserted between workstations that have information processing functions such as. The communication controller 10 includes a communication system 75, a signal link 70, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,512,0165 and 4,512,0175.
To extend the link 40 to the voice link 60 as shown in FIG. Communication system 75 can be any communication system such as the communication system shown in US Pat. No. 4,389,720.
The PC 6300, which may be a terminal with any information processing capabilities, such as the AT & T PC 6300, operates to replace a conventional communication terminal, as described below. This PC 6300 forms the image displayed on the screen 50. The user manipulates these images as seen by either the keyboard 30 or the mouse 80, and the PC
The 6300 translates the movement and positioning of these images and sends signals to the telecommunication exchange 75 to control the telecommunication connections to and from this user.

Signal channel 70 of link 40 is used to send lamp and ringer update messages, body text information and other information from communication system 75 to the communication device. This link is also used to send switch hook status, dialed digits and other information to communication system 75.

Computer PC 6300 is inserted in signal channel 70 and operates to intercept signals traveling in both directions. Computer PC 6300 generates a message for a switch or telephone. The speech signal travels from the switch to the unchanged telephone.

Since the computer PC 6300 is used to make the desired connections by dialing, the telephone can be replaced by the speaker horn 20 or a simple handset (not shown). The speaker horn 20 can be controlled by a signal that can be transmitted via the signal channel to connect or disconnect the speaker horn to or from the speaking channel. Of course, the computer PC 6300 can incorporate the speakerphone as a single structure, if desired.

Communication system 75 does not need to know that the endpoint is not a traditional telephone since computer PC 6300 operates to interpret all instructions in both directions.
However, if the communication protocol for the telephone protocol is 75
The task of control will be simplified if is improved to include more information. Currently, the ramp signal must be interpreted to determine the state of a particular stage of communication system 75. As can be seen, the PC 6300 does not control the connection through the switch, but rather acts as a messenger and formatter of information regardless of how it is processed. Therefore, the PC 6300 only responds to system stimuli and cannot actually control the system.

For the purposes of this description, the other party or user is the entity that can receive or make a communication connection. The other party can also represent one of many actors or a member of a group such as a machine. The other party usually represents a person. The call appearance is an indication of the communication connection to the communication device or telephone. Each user can engage in several separate connections or calls that appear with different call appearances. In general, only one call appearance can be active at any given time. This means that the communication path between the user and the other party can be used. An inactive call appearance is said to be on hold. The maximum number of call appearances that can be used simultaneously depends on the telephone and communication parameters. This number can be changed by consistently changing the system's automatic relaying and telephones.

It is assumed that the telephone user is always the other party for any active call made to this telephone. For purposes of this description, the inventor will refer to this party as a local party. The other party to the call is the remote party. The term, of course, relates to a particular user and not to the call itself.

There are three sources of action that affect this system. That is, it is a user's action of selection and activity, a user's button pushing of a speakerphone, and a ringer, a lamp, and a text display update message sent by a communication system. The output of communications system 75 is used to update the user's display and control the speakerphone. The output from the PC 6300 acts to send a button press signal to the communication system to achieve the command requested by the user and to control the speakerphone.

Ultimately, a series of button pressing signals are generated for the communication system 75 by processing the user's command. This appropriate series of button press signals is a function of the current state and the desired state. The function of the PC 6300 is to determine how to move from the current state to the desired state. Its function is communication
It can also include a single button press signal with a specific response from 75 or a series of button press signals.

Communication system 75 is used to update status information. The meaning of the particular lamp update signal must be interpreted with respect to the current state. When following a series of actions to carry out the user's instructions, the PC 6300 uses the status information updated by the incoming lamp update message.

A typical appearance of the screen 50 of the terminal PC 6300 is shown in FIG. It has four main windows, namely call appearance windows 50-1, 50-2, 50-3 and one window 50-4, designated as a directory. The other window 50-5 on the right shows the area that acts as a button for traditional terminals. This area can change dynamically as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,375 and can be a compliant screen.

In the window on the left is a telephone image or icon representing the named party. When an icon is in one of the call appearance windows, this icon represents a call between this icon and other icons shown in the same appearance. Window 50-4 acts as a source for these images. Using the cursor 201, the user picks up a selected one of these icons (as described below) to call up one of the appearance windows.
You can move to one and thus make a call.
Similarly, taking an icon from the call appearance window will drop the opponent associated with this icon.

Call selection may be made by positioning the cursor 201 (or not on any call appearance) over the desired call appearance and then pressing (clicking) a particular button. When using a mouse, such as the mouse 80 of FIG. 1, the cursor is positioned by moving the mouse. Otherwise, the keys on keyboard 30 are used to move the cursor. The icon of the other party positions the cursor 201 over the image of the icon to be moved, gives an instruction to start the move (moves the cursor with the icon) to the desired location, and Moved by giving another command (release the mouse button) to release the image. If a compliant screen is used, then the fingers could be used to move the icon, as previously mentioned.

The icon can be gray or white. In the call appearance window, a white icon is an active call,
That is, it represents the one connected to the speaker. The gray iconography is a hold call, a ringing line that has not yet been answered,
Represents dialed calls, etc. At most one call appearance can be active at a time.

Moving the icon into a window or clicking the mouse while the cursor is in a window makes that window active and all other windows inactive. For example, selecting the background by positioning the cursor on the background and clicking the mouse deactivates the active window without activating other windows. A conference can be set up by simply moving some icons into a small calling appearance. Thus, calling, conferencing and transferring two parties is accomplished by the same action of moving icons around the screen. The hold is automatic when the call is inactive because the call is lost only when the icon is moved out of the window.

With an incoming call, an icon with a display appears in one of the call appearances, and the PC 6300 produces a traditional ringing tone. The response to this call is made by moving the cursor to the desired window and clicking in that window.

New iconic objects can be placed in window 50-4 by using the new numbered buttons in window 50-5. By pressing this new numbered button, the auxiliary window 50-6 shown in FIG. 3 is brought out.

Initially, the boxes 50-6a and 50-6b are empty when the window 50-6 is formed. The user then uses the keyboard or other means to enter the name of any person in box 50-6a or
The number of any person can be put in -6b. By pressing the look-up button, the system finds the appropriate call correlation data and opens the window 50-
Produce a Deb-like icon in 4. The directory search is, for example, US Patent No. 4, issued on June 5, 1984.
This can be accomplished by any known method such as that shown in 453,217. This patent is incorporated by reference herein. The forward button can be used to scan another full name record. The OK button closes the window and the full name window
Put a new record, Deb, in 50-4.

Each call appearance, and within this call appearance, each party associated with this call has various states associated with it. In most cases, the appearance of each call and the state of each party will be discussed separately. After these have been explained, the interrelationships between the various states will be explained. In this configuration, the link
From the 70 different signals, the terminal recreates an important small set of telecommunication states. This recreated state is necessary to control various system functions such as conferences from the PC 6300 as will be appreciated. The image related to each state for each opponent is the appearance depending on the state of the opponent,
That is, a very dark, light gray inverted image or color or shape can be changed.

The other party associated with one call appearance is restricted to comply with the following rules in this one embodiment: 1. If the local party's state is "idle", then the other party's state is It is "absent".

2. If all remote parties are in the "absent" state, the local party's state is "idle" but the call appearance can be active.

3. If the local status of the other party is changed to "hole". The status of all remote opponents is converted to "hold".

4. If the local party's state is changed from "hold" to "active", each of the remote party's states will reflect the hold state on the remote party's phone.

5. When an incoming call is made, the idle call appearance is selected,
This ring appearance state is converted to an active state, and the local partner state becomes ringing.

6. When the ringing state is "selected", the state of the local party is changed to "idle" by an attempt to change the state of the local party to "hold", and the state of the calling appearance is "idle". Be replaced by

FIGS. 4 and 5 show local counterpart state transition diagrams, and the next part illustrates the effect on the state machine caused by user actions. The actions the user can take are the selection of the calling appearance and the movement of the other party from one place to another.
Actions that cannot be controlled by the user are the occurrence of an incoming call, the dropping of the remote party and the joining of the remote party. The behavior of this system depends not only on the purpose to which the action applies, but also on the previous state of the system.
Although the user can take many types of actions at any time, the overall system state is complex and the actions described here are exemplary rather than exhaustive. is there.

The user may or may not be able to select the call appearance. Any selection automatically makes the previous selection no longer a selection. The choice of call appearance generally results in the appearance of an active call appearance,
Then any previous active call appearance is held. If no call appearance is selected, then only the active call appearance is held.

The user can move the image from one location on the screen to another. Each icon is either located within the calling appearance or not within the calling appearance. When the icon is moved into the calling appearance,
The action will typically connect the user associated with the icon to the call. Moving an icon out of the calling appearance is generally disconnecting the user from the calling appearance.

A local user icon is shown permanently positioned within each call appearance. Thus, the call is established when the icon of the other party is moved into the call appearance.

Moving the iconic image out of the name book leaves a copy of the iconic image in the name book in the illustrated embodiment. A mechanism may be provided for winding the directory or for conducting other searches intended to facilitate the identification of particular items within the directory.
The user generally handles only the name and the number is provided by the PC 6300 or by the system under the control of this PC 6300.

FIG. 6 shows the full call appearance of the idle and the iconography is shown as gray. Cursor 201 is appearance 5
It is dormant at 0-2.

The local user, named Charles in FIG. 7, selects the calling appearance by manipulating the mouse (or other device) so that the cursor moves to the desired appearance 50-3. The mouse is clicked in window 50-3 and the speakerphone becomes active to provide dial tone to the user. The local state of FIG. 4 is the connected state. A blank image in appearance 50-3 means that the remote party must be identified in order to complete the call connection. This is accomplished by typing on the called party's name or number on the keyboard.

FIG. 8 shows an icon associated with a remote user Polly being moved (replicated) from the directory 50-4 to the call appearance 50-3. The local counterpart's state (FIG. 4) remains connected and the remote counterpart's state (FIG. 5) becomes a call.

When the call is answered, as shown in FIG. 9, the name of the other party of the response, in this case Polly, is called appearance 50-
Located in relation to the remote partner's icon in 3
Then, the states of both opponents are changed to stable. Charle
The icon of the s is changed to white, indicating an active call.

In Figure 10, the local icon Charles is not moved to the call appearance (sometimes called the background), which causes the communication connection to be dropped.

In FIG. 11, call appearance 50-2 has been selected, and if the previous call was not dropped, appearance 50-
The previous call is now put on hold as indicated by the gray icon in 3. This is accomplished by clicking on the cursor 201 within the uncall appearance.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, when the remote opponent is dropped, the icon of the remote opponent disappears, and
The call becomes idle. At the same time, there is an incoming call from Deb in call appearance 50-1. In such a situation, the remote counterpart's iconic Deb (or blank if no name is known) will call the idle call appearance 50.
-1 and the phone is shown ringing (blinking or another color on the screen), the PC 6300 provides an audible ringing indicator. Note that Deb's icon did not have to exist in name list 50-4 before the incoming call. First
As shown in FIG. 13, under the control of the signal sent from the PC 6300 to the communication system 75, the cursor 201 is moved to the appearance 50-1, clicked, and the connection is completed.

Call appearance 50-3 follows, and two active callers continue as shown in FIG. 14, and also
Suppose a conference call is desired for a party called Dan. The icon, labeled Dan, from directory 50-4 is then moved to active call appearance 50-1. The icon of the other party selected is activated as a ringing tone until it is answered, and then it is converted to a stable state and displays the name Dan as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 16, the tripartite conference between Charles, Deb and Dan continues while the local user establishes a new icon, Jill, in his directory. This does not affect the conference connection.

In FIG. 17, the local partner Charles is moved to a part of the screen that is not in the call appearance, which moves the local partner Charles from the call, which causes Deb as shown in FIG. The call between and Dan remains.
This type of operation can be used successfully for call forwarding as well. In call transfer mode, the connection is Char
Different call appearances can be established between les and any other party. Generally, when a local party is disassociated from a call, the call is dropped from the screen and the call appearance is wiped away. In some situations, such as when the PC 6300 is used as an attendant console, the call appearance showing two or more remote parties will remain active as shown in FIG.

Suppose for a moment that instead of dropping the local party from the call, one of the remote parties, such as Deb, is quiesced. In the state where the communication system provides the telephone with the disconnection information of the remote party, the image of the remote party changes to the absent state and disappears from the display.
The call then continues as a call for two parties. If the communication system does not provide remote party disconnect information to the central office (when the other remote party is still connected),
All images will remain on the screen until the remote opponent hooks them.

So far I have only explained a few possible outlines,
Many more are possible using our concept. A summary of any of these can be constructed using the following flowchart. That is, FIG. 19 is a closed-loop flowchart showing the configuration of FIGS. 20 to 28, FIGS. 20 to 25 are flowcharts for explaining the action of the user, and FIGS. The figure is a flowchart for explaining a response to an action of a communication system.

Next, referring to FIG. 20, the action of the user will be described in more detail. The convention used in this flow chart is that the bold lined boxes describe the actions and the flow chart is contained in a separate drawing. Thin lined boxes represent direct actions or inputs, while diamond-shaped boxes represent decision points. Call appearance is CA
Is abbreviated.

Assume that the user moves the image from point A to point B on the video screen, as shown in box 2001 in FIG. Decision point 2002 determines if points A and B are both call appearances. If the decision is positive, decision point 2003 determines if points A and B are within the same call appearance. If points A and B are within the same call appearance, box 2005 activates call appearance A in a manner more specifically detailed with respect to FIG. This action represents a call appearance symbol. On the other hand, points A and B
If not present in the same call appearance, the communication system will drop point A in the manner described in FIG. 21, and via box 2006 whether the iconography is a remote user. , And if the icon is not a remote user, a call is issued to the user represented by the icon in box 2007 of call appearance B in the manner described in FIG. If the icon was a remote user, as shown in Box 2006, the icon would have been dropped.

Next, with respect to box 2002, if neither points A and B were call appearances, then box 2008 checks to determine if point A is a directory. If point A is a directory, then box 2009 is checked to see if point B is the calling appearance. This means that the iconography will be removed from the directory. This could either be a call or the discarding of an icon from a directory. If point B is a call appearance, box 212 calls point B in the manner described in FIG. The reason is that this action means moving the icon from the directory to the call appearance. This will either be a call initiation or a conference call depending on the number of parties already called.

If decision point 2009 had determined that point B was not a call appearance, then box 2013 operates to discard the record of the directory, thereby removing the icon from the directory.

Looking at box 2008, if point A is not a directory, then box 2010 determines if there is an active party that is less than one in the call appearance. If not, Box 2011 puts the active call appearance on hold, as shown in FIG. This action represents call appearance deselection when there is an active call defined as a hold condition. If the call appearance has one or fewer active opponents, Box 2014 operates to drop any dial tone and terminate the call, as shown in Figure 24. Operate.

FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing a call to be dropped in call appearance (CA) X. If this call appearance should be put on hold, this action is shown in FIG. If call appearance X is already active as shown in Box 2011, Box 2013 will check to see if the local user has been dropped or if there is more than one opponent. If the condition is like this,
The connection can remain but the on-hook condition is sent to the switch under the control of box 214 and the speakerphone is disconnected. On the other hand, if there are less than two opponents and it is not a local user who will drop, a drop message will be sent to the user and the icon will be a box.
Removed under control of 215.

 Figures 22 to 25 are self-explanatory.

FIG. 26 shows a lamp update response to a lamp message from the communication system. Each call appearance is associated with two lamps known as "iuse" and "stat". Messages from the communication system control various lamp states such as on, off, ring (slow flash) or hold (fast flash). Each time a lamp update is received, the states of the two lamps are used to update the state of the corresponding ring appearance. The flow chart shows how to get this state. Boxes 263, 264,
265, 266, 269, 270 and 271 control the iconic appearance to show the user status information on the display.

The flowchart of FIG. 27 illustrates the system's response to a ringer update message from the switch. Linga
The message has no effect on the call appearance but PC 630
Used to control the sound generator for zero. Messages can command this sound generator to turn off or generate sounds of different frequencies and melodies.

The flowcharts of FIGS. 28 and 29 illustrate system response to hypothetical remote drop and remote join messages from the switch. The current generation of communications software generally does not imply provision of these messages, but an improved set of protocol messages may provide these messages or their equivalents. These messages are for PC 6300
Is used to signal to the other party's withdrawal from the call appearance (or to join the call appearance).

Conclusion Although the PC 6300 has been shown to control a single station, there is no reason why the same PC 6300 could not control several stations or several lines. Different calling appearances or different colors can be used for each station or each lie. Further, several PCs 6300 can be linked to control a single online, and these PCs 6300 can operate either independently of each other or also as an interactive network. The system can be operated by an attendant at a central location to control communications to and from multiple remotely located stations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, while the above system is operable over a communication path and is an alternative to a telephone, the disclosed concept is independent of the telephone link to control anyone other than the particular telephone user. Can be used for
This can be a central administrator or control integrity panel and may be connected to the system controller.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video control system by the present inventor, FIGS. 2 and 3 show a graphic screen display, FIGS. 4 and 5 are transition state diagrams, and FIG. Figures 18 to 18 are on-screen displays showing various states of the system, Figure 19 is a closed loop system diagram showing the interrelationship of several event loops, and Figures 20 to 20. FIG. 29 is a flowchart for further explaining the operation control of this system. (Explanation of symbols of main parts) Signal control device …… 10, speaker horn …… 20, keyboard …… 30, link …… 40, screen …… 50, voice link …… 60, signal link …… 70, communication system ...... 75, mouse …… 80

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A terminal used in a communication system capable of controlling a communication connection between a plurality of terminals under the control of a signal transmitted to the terminal, the display means and each of the plurality of terminals. Means for displaying on the display means a plurality of images representing one; means for controlling movement of the images on the display means in response to a signal provided by a user at the terminal; and selecting the images. A control terminal comprising means for establishing a communication connection for the terminal in response to the moved. 2. A terminal used in a communication system according to claim 1, wherein the signal is transmitted via a communication path between the communication system and the terminal. . 3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the image has a plurality of appearance modes, one of the appearance modes representing a desired communication connection, and another of the appearance modes. A terminal that represents an actual communication connection and is controlled by connection switching of signals between the terminal and the communication system to establish a particular one of the appearance modes for each image. 4. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal associated with the further moving image is removed from the established communication connection in response to further movement of the moved image. A terminal for transmitting a signal to the communication system. 5. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein a specific image is generated or removed from the display by a user of the terminal. 6. The terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a cursor, and the image moves under control of the cursor. 7. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the movement control means further operates in response to a signal transmitted from the communication system. 8. A terminal according to claim 1, wherein first and second areas are established on the display means, and the two images are placed in the first area. A terminal responsive to movement to send to the communication system a signal representative of a desired communication connection between the terminals associated with the two images. 9. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the third image moves to the first area while the first and second images remain in the first area. In response to that,
A terminal for sending to the communication system a signal representative of a desired conference connection between the terminals associated with the first, second and third images. 10. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the means for displaying the plurality of images generates an image representing the desired terminal in the second area. 11. A terminal as claimed in claim 8 in which each of the areas represents an individual call appearance and has previously moved to another call appearance holding the first communication connection. A terminal characterized in that one of the calling appearances is selected while the first communication connection is represented by. 12. The terminal according to claim 9, wherein one of the images in the first area is pre-established therein. 13. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the pre-established from the first region while the second and third images are still in the first region. Removing a terminal associated with the connection between the pre-established images from the connection while still allowing the second and third images to continue to exist in response to the movement of the established image. Terminal to do.